[2] Not long after, in 1988, Graciela Sanchez became executive director after returning from film school in Cuba and she holds the position to this day.
Sanchez, who is Yale-educated, had worked at civil rights organizations and had thoughts of being an attorney before eventually finding herself becoming executive director for the Esperanza Peace and Justice Center in San Antonio.
Sanchez’s mother, Isabel, was well known for her advocation for children on the West Side and often she "held people accountable and spoke her mind."
The goal of the Esperanza Peace and Justice Center is to be there for women who have suffered through inequality due to their race, who they are attracted to, sexuality, gender or working class.
Founded in 1995, the women mold clay into historic events of their lives as workers and their history as marginalized people in their environment.
She works with members on her staff and of the community to create programs like CineMujer; Uprooted: Tierra, Gente, y Cultura; and Palestinians and other Occupied Peoples.
She then started her career as the Director of Education for the Boys & Girls club of San Antonio, also being a part of staff and policy development.
She is the tenant that led the fight for Alazan/Apache Courts which resulted in massive policy change, stopping the demolition of 501 public housing units and the displacement of over 1200 low income residents.
In 2021, she was appointed to city's first ever Housing Bond Committee, securing millions of dollars in funding for extremely low income families in San Antonio.
She is also involved in the creation of Escuelita de Paz y Justicia, a community based educational program that promotes social justice and healing, where she is a teacher.